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Youth

Youth

Young people are a key part of any democracy. They engage in pro-democracy movements, mobilize to support or change policies, move online petitions and take part in boycotts. They are open to democracy.

The question remains: Is democracy open to young people?

Since 2010, we have been working to make democracy more inclusive of youth. We set up an international framework for youth participation in democracy and the Forum of Young Parliamentarians, a global platform that moves the youth agenda. We launched a youth participation programme to support parliaments and young MPs. Through these, we have succeeded in shifting the discourse on youth participation from “consultation” to “representation”, an important step in the wider engagement of young people in democracy.

To encourage youth participation, we support parliaments in facilitating the access of youth to political decision-making, empowering young MPs and young people in general, and including a youth perspective in legislation and policies. We help young MPs to come together at the global, regional and national levels. We monitor youth representation and issue policy and legislative guidance to boost it.

Who are today’s young parliamentarians? Parliamentarians under 30 make up less than 2 per cent of the world’s lawmakers; are more often male than female; preside over less than 25 per cent of youth-related committees in parliament; and benefit from proportional representation systems, quotas and a low eligibility age.

Youth are among the first victims of radicalization and conflict. Their participation in the prevention and resolution of disputes is therefore essential for the building of sustainable peace. As political leaders closest to a country’s youth, young parliamentarians have a key role in addressing drivers of conflict and contributing to solutions. Building on UN Security Council resolution 2250 adopted in 2015, which sets out international commitments on youth, peace and security, we work with young parliamentarians to help galvanize their action to prevent violent extremism and contribute to reconciliation and peace building.